PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said Monday she was "extremely frustrated" by the Biden Administration's decision to temporarily shut down the Lukeville border crossing.
But at least right now, Hobbs has no plans to deal with this latest border crisis.
One of the casualties are Arizonans who consider Puerto Penasco, widely known as Rocky Point, as their beach. The Lukeville shutdown makes their ride to Mexico longer and, according to a U.S. Embassy travel warning, more precarious.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Hobbs ‘extremadamente frustrada’ por el cierre fronterizo de DHS, no hay plan de acción
"We're extremely frustrated at this decision making," Hobbs told reporters after a Christmas tree lighting event at the Capitol.
"We need the federal government to act and provide more resources. And we've been very clear about that. Consistently."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security shut down the Lukeville port of entry in order to free up border agents to deal with a historic migrant surge in the remote desert surrounding the crossing.
By the end of the day Monday, border agents were using the tented area at the crossing to process some of the hundreds of migrants seeking asylum in the Tucson sector.
No plans to deploy Guard or DPS
Hobbs said her office was in touch with local law enforcement and border communities. There are no plans to deploy the Arizona National Guard or Department of Public Safety troopers, she said.
"This is not what the folks on the ground are asking for. We're in communication with them. And we'll do that if it's needed," said Hobbs, a first-term Democrat. "We're assessing the situation on a continuous basis."
Longer ride through San Luis crossing
The Lukeville crossing handles largely passenger traffic - much of it to Rocky Point - not commercial vehicles. The border station's volume is a fraction of the larger ports of entry, such as San Luis to the west and Nogales to the east.
The shutdown will divert traffic to Rocky Point through the border crossing at San Luis.
Here's what that means:
-The trip from Phoenix to Rocky Point will take an estimated 6 hours. The Lukeville route clocks in at less than four hours.
-Wait time at the San Luis border crossing could slow down travelers. On Monday, the first day of the shutdown, wait times were running at double the daily average - from two to two and a half hours.
'Weigh the security risks'
In a travel advisory Friday, ahead of the Lukeville closing, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico warned travelers who might take the San Luis route to Rocky Point.
Federal employees are permitted to travel only on Mexico's Highway 8 to Rocky Point, the advisory noted. That highway connects to Lukeville.
"U.S. citizens contemplating travel to or from Puerto Peñasco should weigh the security risks and consider making alternative plans," the advisory says.
What members of Congress are saying
Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva of Tucson, whose district takes in every port of entry on Arizona's southern border, was out sick Monday and unable to comment, a spokesman told 12News.
Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani of Tucson sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding a Guard deployment.
Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly's office confirmed to 12News Monday that Kelly had spoken with Mayorkas "to emphasize how harmful the port closure is to border communities and our economy. The senator will continue stressing the impacts of this decision and the urgency to resolve it."
Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's office provided this response:
"The current border crisis is out of control - border communities are overwhelmed and the brave men and women on the front lines don't have the resources to manage the migrant flow.
"We are in constant contact with DHS, CBP, the US Ambassador to Mexico, and local and state officials regarding the border and migrant crisis, and we continue to press for resources and solutions that ensure regular trade and travel is not impacted and that local communities are safe and have the resources they need.
"We'll keep working to secure the border, keep Arizona communities safe, and ensure the fair and humane treatment of migrants."